Detox

 There's a lot of health gurus out there who aren't dietitians but have information about weight loss. Everybody's got the skinny on obesity.  I think my most favorite thing about being a dietitian is how we apply evidenced-based research to medical diagnoses.  There's a whole heap of research about the woes of being overweight. The complications that can come with obesity can definitely light the fire of health under even the most obstinate.  Staggering numbers make it pretty clear weight loss is important.  But do you know the #1 recommendation for obese people who smoke?  Yep. To quit smoking.  Smoking is even worse than obesity on health.  Somebody may need to lose 250 pounds, but I'm trained to encourage smoking cessation.  It's too hard for most people to quit smoking AND lose weight all in one lump.  It is more practical to quit smoking and just try to maintain weight.

I've never been addicted to a substance.  I don't pretend to know how difficult it would be start a journey to health carrying around an unhealthy physical desire.  I can't imagine.  All I know is what I've read and what people have told me from their own experiences.  Everybody starts somewhere.   I've been thinking a lot about where I started. Even though I've not had to give up a physical substance, I've pretty much been in detox of my mind for the last few years.

My issues probably don't match the issues of others, but they have still been complications to my journey.  They are shackles in my mind that have been keeping me from my ultimate goal....weight loss.  So I've been in my own personal detox. I've been dropping negativity.  I've been forgiving people.  I've been having an attitude of gratitude.  I've been walking more in freedom and letting go of  rules, laws, and expectations I place on myself.  I'm removing the veil from my mind so that I can see more clearly.  I'm emptying my pockets of information to make room for revelation.  You wouldn't believe all the beliefs I've hoarded just because somebody once told me it was so.  phooey.   It always feels good to clean out a closet.  I've been detoxing my beliefs about pretty much everything.  That's a pretty hefty undertaking all the while still beating myself up for not losing weight.  So now it's time to detox THAT expectation as well.  I've been hard on myself.  I'm finally giving myself permission to be happy right where I am.  I've realized I have had such a big win.  Similar to quitting smoking AND losing weight at the same time, it has been difficult to "diet" and detox my mind too.  I've stopped gaining weight, but I've lost some too.  I've only lost a little weight, but I'm happy.  I'm feeling good.  Fifty pounds may not be gone tomorrow, but I'm confident I WILL wake up someday and be fifty pounds down. 

This journey has always been about something more than just losing physical fat, but now it finally FEELS okay to admit that. I'm letting myself off the hook.  I'm not minimizing my wins any more.  It was a success when I quit gaining.  It's a success that I've lost a little weight.  But the biggest win of all is just feeling good about feeling good!  Why did we ever feel guilty for being content with ourselves.  I'm convinced contentment is the perfect environment where freedom can thrive.  Freedom from ourselves.  Freedom from our habits.  Freedom from food.  

Today's Success

Today my regular routine pretty much got thrown out the window.   It was a tough day to choose health.

I didn't sleep well last night. 
I ate sausage biscuits and drank some orange juice.
I snacked around a lot on salty peanut and M&M-laden trail mix.
I ate chips.
I ate two pieces of pizza.
I ate a small spinach salad, but it had thick homemade ranch on it.
I drank a Pepsi.
I drank a really sugary hot chocolate.

I felt like crap.

So what in the world could be my success on my feel good plan?


Because I knew I was too full, I declined the ice cream cake.  SUCCESS!

When I got to the end of my day and felt really terrible, I asked myself, "What would make me feel good?" I decided my only hope was to go for a walk and drink lots of water.  I got the boys down for bed and decided to walk for ten minutes only in the driveway.  It was a nice night.  The more I walked, the better I felt.  I ended up forgetting about the time because I was enjoying myself so much and I walked for two miles.  SUCCESS!

As I walked, I got a lot of positive thinking done.  SUCCESS!

I came back in and did something I REALLY enjoy.  SUCCESS!

Boy, do I feel good!

These little successes probably haven't made me lose weight today directly, but the better I feel, the more likely I'll choose to feel good tomorrow too.  I'm going to go to bed happy tonight.  It's worth the weight to feel happy.

Feeling good = Happiness.
Happiness = Success.
Successes = Weight loss.

This math works.   Just got to focus on the feeling good part to get that ball rolling!

Keeping the Vacation Weight At Bay

Just got back from vacationing at the Gulf of Mexico.  It was nice. I took a small goal with me.  I just wanted to enjoy my vacation and maintain my weight.

I definitely took advantage of the time to unwind.  I really tried to adhere to my feel good plan while I was there. I got caught up on my sleep.  I sneaked in some good exercise most days. I drank a little wine.  I ate what I wanted.  I felt good while I was there, and I came home rested.

But it was vacation...Isn't that the time to let it all go indulge myself?  Not on my feel good plan. We had healthful things I like to eat that were easy to grab when I was hungry.  We kept fruit in the refrigerator, and I had some of my favorite Greek yogurt.  If I really wanted a brownie and then another brownie, then I ate it.  I tried to listen to my body and my desires. I asked myself, "What will make me feel good?"  Then I chose to do it.  It had nothing to do with "trying" to lose weight.  I just wanted to feel good.  I was on vacation!

It made me feel good to go for a walk.  It made me feel good to take a nap when I felt grumpy from the lack of sleep.  It made me feel good to eat lighter breakfast and lunch so I could feel good getting whatever I wanted for supper.  It made me feel good to recline with my feet in the sand, but when I felt like moving, it felt good to jump in the water.

There was one time we stopped for chocolate chip cookies. Fresh, warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies.  They were good!  But in a moment, I was "worried" about my weight.  I got a little frustrated with myself because I wanted those cookies.  There was an inkling of "bad girl!"  But then I decided, it would be okay to have one.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!   But I only had one. There were more cookies left in the bag to take with us on our journey.  They were in the middle console. Within my reach. I really wanted another one.  I tried to talk myself out of my desire.  They whispered to me. I couldn't quit thinking about them. I began to get mad at myself again for wanting one.  Miles past.  Such a burden.  Be quiet!  I did NOT want to give in.  It would be silly to throw them out.  Bad cookies!!!!!!  So I finally came to my senses.  Obviously I was making it a law.  Gosh, if I'm going to feel that way about it, then I might as well eat it!  (The feel good plan.)  So I gave myself permission to enjoy another one.  Expectations gone.  Desire fulfilled.   I tore a bite off and put in my mouth, but realized it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.  It wasn't as good as I remembered when "I thought I couldn't have it."  When I realized deep down I didn't wanted after all, I didn't eat another bite.  I closed the bag.  You know those cookies were quiet for the rest of the trip! 

I LOVE that feeling when I'm so hungry, but then replenish with just enough instead of over stuffing myself.  It reminds me of walking around in wet clothes from a water park then changing into dry just before the drive home.  "ahhhhhhh... It was fun, but this feels better."  I know my eyes are bigger than my stomach so it helps to know that I need between 300 and 500 calories each meal to feel satisfied without feeling stuffed.  That amount of calories makes me feel good---keeps me feeling good.   It's also fun to be hungry the same time the boys were hungry. It makes me feel like I'm on their level.  I even ordered some off the kid's menu.  That was fun too!

I have to admit, it took me a looooooooooooong time to get here, but I'm here. I believe that was all part of the plan...and it feels good.

...Oh I forgot to mention, not only had I maintained my weight, but I had lost a little too.  A Feel Good Plan works for me!  

The Feel Good Plan

Do you know the best diet to follow?  The one that works!  Adhering to most diets will make you lose the weight you want, but there can be trouble. Usually one gains back even more weight than before. I can surely testify that.  I've tried a bunch of diets in my past.   I've lost weight, but then regained.  (I wonder what I would weigh had I never tried to lose?)  It got a little more harry after I began to study nutrition.  Knowing some science made it difficult for me to follow any sort of fad diet, but I was frustrated with my weight and desperately desired for it to come off fast.

I've been hard on myself for being an overweight dietitian.  Condemnation has frequent flyer miles on my brain waves.  I've always known that freedom in my mind would be freedom in my body.  It's been such a slow processes that I often fell back into a mind-trap because "I'm such a bad example...  I'm not going quick enough.... not doing good enough, etc. etc. etc. blah. blah. blah."  I've also struggled about mixing physiological science with psychology and spirituality.  I've placed all sorts of rules on myself and boxed in ideas.  I've been unsure with where to put the boundaries.


Obesity is such a complex disease.  There are multiple factors to sort through.  If it was as easy as just following some diet and eating less, wouldn't we all be skinny?  It's time to admit that it's more about the human part of us than just diet and exercise.

There are thousands of diets out there that work.  We are sold on them easily because we don't think we are enough by ourselves.  We will buy anything we think could improve us.   Do you know who is the best weight-loss practitioner out there for you?  You are!  We can certainly find helpful tips, strong evidence-based research, and be influenced by people who help guide us on our plan.  But this diagnosis is so complex and has to be so individualized, that somebody can't just claim a certain diet will work for everyone just because it worked for one or for few.   

I finally know what to do with my metaphorical diet boxes....throw them in  the dump, burn them, use them for target practice.  I've finally come up with a plan that works for me.  It's a plan where I can mix science with the things I think about and who I've discovered I am.  I feel safe to remove the walls, be who I am, and come up with a plan that makes the complexity of my issues seem simple.  I'm calling it, "The Feel Good Plan." (It even makes me smile to call it that.)

Since I've truly adopted the Feel Good Plan, things are definitely different.  Sure I'd like to wake up fifty pounds lighter tomorrow, but even more than that.  I just want to feel good.  Spotting the successes everyday are little wins that keep my heart merry, my spirits high, and keep me high on the mojo.   How do I now measure success?  ...Does it make me feel good?  Then it's successful.

There already has been some weight loss, but everyday on the plan I realize more how it's more about the feeling than the goal.  It's taken me a long time to get here, but I'm excited about it.  You know what?  It just feels good to be excited about something. I've had to accept myself and get rid of some hindering beliefs.  I've found some tips and guidelines that meet me where I am.  I've experimented and figured out some things that work for me.  I've realized I wasn't made to fit into a box.  Thank God for science to serve as a guide for health.  Thank God for a mind to make choices and experience this life.  Thank God for that inner voice that drives me on my journey.  It's hard to know where to put the boundaries when it's all dumped into one person and the world tells us we're a formula.   Thank God for an individualized plan that drives me to my destination.  Can it be simple enough just to enjoy the ride?  Sometimes it's difficult to admit it can be easy when it's been so hard before.

Feeling good IS the plan!  

It's Your Move

I recently had the fabulous opportunity to hang out with some cool cats at a nutrition conference.   I really like dietitians. One of the things I noticed about the skinnies is how unashamed they are about exercise.  I know that sounds silly, but it really is like a confident air about them when they strap on their sneakers with their dress clothes just to try to boost the numbers on their step counter.

I read a study that people who think weight loss is about how much they exercise tend to be overweight.  The real strength of  exercise is it's ability to prevent weight gain unless of course it is ALOT of exercise.  It's diet that really cuts the fat.  But exercise has benefits all to itself.  Even just two minutes of intentional exercise is a success.

My FAVORITE part about exercise is how studies actually show that exercise divided over the course of the day is more beneficial than all at once.  It may burn the same amount of calories, but we busy-bo-peeps are just more likely to squeeze in 10 minutes of moving multiple times a day than we are to find  a longer amount to donate to exercise.  I know for me, I won't get as sweaty if my exercise routine  is only ten minutes so it helps to work it in even at work. 

But how silly is that?  I do NOT like attention.  I get afraid somebody might see me.  Who cares?  The value of exercise is worth way more than what I THINK somebody is thinking.  I may look silly pumping it down the sidewalk, but it makes me feel good.

I'm settled...the amount of exercise I do won't make me lose weight, but it's benefits remind me that I'd rather feel good for a lifetime than taste something good for a moment.  I've decided there are some ways I can add exercise to my day.  I've released any expectations of myself and breaking the box I've built around exercise.  If I have an extra two minutes, then I can move for two minutes.  If there is a line to the bathroom, I think I'll just walk to another one instead of waiting.  Ten minutes is the recommended amount at one time, but two minutes is better than zero.  I have a goal to get three ten-minute sessions a day, but if I only get one go around the sidewalk, then that's a success too. There are no rules but just a life to live...a life to enjoy. 

What's your move?

Lay It Down

I've heard stories about Appalachian trail hikers.  People say that along the route, camping gear,  etc. can be found along the trail.  It started out as a good idea, but the longer people hiked, the more the cost of those items didn't matter.  They were just too heavy for their journey.

Do you ever feel like that?  Like the things you thought were important were just too heavy to carry on? We place value on things that weigh us down even if we see it as negative.  What we focus on is what we carry.  Sometimes it gets to a point where you just have to leave them be and go on.  When the load becomes lighter, the hike has to become more enjoyable. In my life, I often find I didn't know I was carrying something heavy until it was gone.  ahhhhhh...freedom.   I'm always thankful for the relief AND I'm thankful for the strength that carried me until I became ready to let go.  I love a quote I read recently, "We are not defined by what we have, but by what we let go."  Not sure if that quote completely illustrates my point, but I still love it.  I suppose no matter what we cling to, there is freedom in the release. 

I was thinking of people I've known whose physical weight becomes an emotion weight as well.  Sometimes our image is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves on the inside. Maybe it's just some odd belief.   It could even be a negative perspective about the weight loss journey itself.  Or perhaps it's using food to cope with some other heavy issues.  The extra "stuff" we pack may even have seemed like a good idea at first or even something we thought we "needed."  No matter what the reason, the weight is still heavy.

I'm convinced that when we feel good on the inside,  it makes it easier to feel good on the outside. Laying things down is a nice taste of freedom that makes us desire to keep on walking.  

What might you toss from your backpack that could lighten the load?  What are some heavy things you've already traded for freedom on your journey?

It always feels better to lay it down.